Device for and method of reading picks from pattern cards in looms



Oct; 5, 1954 T. R01-Tl 2,690,770 I DEVICE FOR AND METHOD OF READINGPICKS FROM PATTERN CARDS IN LOOMS Filed Oct. 15, 194s 4 sheets-sheet 1JNVENToR. THVP//M i077/ T. RTTI Oct. 5, 1954 METHOD OF READING PICKSFROM PATTERN CARDS IN LOOMS DEVICE FOR AND 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed OCI..15, 1949 v INVENTOR. HEPH/ /70 7`7`/ Bi@ Oct. 5, 1954 T. RUTTI2,690,770.

DDvIc 0R AND METHOD oF AD PICKS 0M PATTERN CARDS Lo M Filed Oct. 15,1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 AAM@ Oct. 5, 1954 T. R01-n 2,690,770 DEVICE FORAND METHOD OF READING PICKS FROM PATTERN CARDS IN LOOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4l Filed Oct. 15. 1949 w k nvu @l um S INVENTOR.

7'HEOPH/ W/'/ BY M Patented Oct. 5, 1954 DEVICE FOR AND METHOD OFREADING PICKS FROM PATTERN CARDS IN LOOMS Theophil Rtti, Horgen,Switzerland, assignor to Gebr. Staubli & Co., Horgen, SwitzerlandApplication October 15, 1949, Serial No. 121,474

Claims priority, application Switzerland October 28, 1948 6 Claims.

This invention relates to reading of the picks from a pattern card inshedding devices and to the control of the shedding device.

The shedding devices used in weaving, such as Jacquards and dobbies,employ cards made of so-called Verdol paper or similar thin material,which are sensed by reading needles. The latter act by way ofintermediate members on the lifter hooks of the shedding machine tobring them into or to remove them out of the path of the lifter blades,according to whether the reading needles have or have not dropped into aperforation of the pattern card. It depends on the construction andoperation of the said intermediate members, whether the shedding machineoperates positively, that is to say, whether it can be put in motionforwards and backwards, without the sequence of the shed openingsrequired for each weft insertion being disturbed. This positive controlis highly desirable, in the case of operation of dobbies when the weftthread breaks or when the weft thread is to be relocated, and re-startof dobby operation after repair of the weft thread is in order. This iseffected through the lifter hooks controlled in such a manner during theperiod of idle running of the lifter blade, i. e. during the lost motionof the lifter blade, that in the forward motion of the shedding devicethose lifter hooks are placed in readiness for being hooked on to thelifter blade, which perform the shedding for the next pick, but in thebackward motion the lifter hooks are placed in readiness for hooking onto the lifter blade, which performed the shedding for the precedingpick.

Dobbies of this kind are known, in which there act on each lifter hooktwo reading needles, one of which ensures the function of the correctreading in for the forward motion and the other that for the backwardmotion of the dobby.

With the method according to the invention one reading needle is usedfor each lifter hook, at least one rst seriees of reading needles beingdisplaced during the lost motion of the associated lifter blade,according to the direction of rotation of the shedding device out of itsposition for reading a preceding pick into a position for reading thefollowing pick or vice versa in the direction of motion of the cylinder.

The shedding machine for carrying out the method is provided with meansfor displacing the reading needles of a rst set of such needles duringthe lost motion of the lifter blade associated with these readingneedles according to the direction of rotation of the shedding deviceout of its position for reading a preceding pick into a position forreading the following pick and vice versa.

A reading device according to the invention as applied to a double liftdobby is illustrated diagrammatically as a constructional example in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a section through the needle reading device and drivemechanism therefor shortly after the moment, in which during the forwardmotion the lower lifter blade has released the lower lifter hooks forreading the following pick and Fig. 2 illustrates the same section, butbefore the moment, in which after the completion of the reading of thefollowing pick the lower lifter hooks are again placed for being hookedon to the lifter blade.

Fig. 3 shows parts of the drive mechanism of Fig. 1 in position forstarting the movement of the pattern card.

Fig. 4 shows parts of the drive mechanism of Fig. 1 in position forstarting the movement of the reading needles upon stopping of themovement of the pattern card.

Fig. 5 illustrates a diagram indicating the movements of the readingneedles and parts of the drive mechanism in timed relation.

The pattern card reading device shown in the drawings has one set ofreading needles I, which serve the purpose of controlling the lowerlifter hooks 2, and the second set of reading needles 3, the function ofwhich is to control the upper lifter hook 2a.

The free ends of these needles I and 3 coact with perforations providedat predetermined locations in the pattern card 4 which travels over theintermittently driven cylinder 5.

The needles I of the irst set of reading needles are guided in a needlegrid 6, 6 which is xed to a lever arm 8 adapted to rock about a shaft'I.

The needles 3 of the second set of reading needles are guided in needlegrids 9, 9 which are attached to the machine frame Ill, so that they canonly be displaced in their longitudinal direction. Slots, I I, I I' inthe needle grids 9, 9 permit of the displacement of the needles I bymeans of the needle grids E, 6 on the lever arm 8 transversely to thegrids 9, 9.

The upper end of the needles I engages by means of eyes I the lifters I2which are mounted so as to rock on a shaft I3 and by means of arms I4and push needles I5 control the lower end of the lifter needles I6.

f' In the same way the needles 3 are attached 2a into or out of the pathof the lifter blades 22, 22a which move to and fro periodically and,when a suitable hook has caught the associated lifter blade, displacethe heddles.

Rails 23 and 24, which are positioned KVbelow `the ends of the lifterneedles I3 and 20 and are moved up and down by cam discs (not shown),serve the purpose of raising these needles, when the lower ends of thelatter are set in the path of these rails.

On a shaft 25 which is supported in bearings in the machine frame I0aremounted a-cam .disc Y2b, a camdisc 21,.a tappet 28 and `the -cam.discs (not shown) for moving the rails 23 and 24.

On the periphery of the cam disc 26 rolls av roller 29 supported on Vthe`lever arm 8. The cam disc 21 coacts with a roller 30 supported on anarm of a lcranked lever v3I vmounted `on .the shaft I3, the other arm ofwhich supports .a rod 32 which extends below the lifters IZ and .I.1. Ateach revolution of the shaft 25 .the tappet 2B shifts a toothed wheel33, -which .with .the ,paper cylinder 5 is mounted on .a shaft .3.4, .byone tooth. This rotation of the paper cylinder corresponds to thedistance vbetween rows .of perforations, that is to the pitch `on theperforated .card 4. Through .this movement the I.pattern `card isshifted by two picks, ,that is from the .first and second to the thirdand fourth pick. The movements of the aforesaid parts in timed relationare apparent from Fig. 5, in which the relaftive positions of lifterblades, of upper and .lower hooks and reading needles during rotation ofcylinder shaft 34 and of drive shaft 25 are made clear.

In the following description of 4the mode of .op-

Veration of the pattern card reading arrangement illustrated ,in thedrawings it is assumed, that in the preceding pick the harness or heddleassociated with the hook 2 had to be lifted and l,that

in the subsequent pick the same harness is to be lifted, that is, thatthe lifter hook .2 has .each time to be hung on the blade. The patterncard 4 thus presents perforations for the lifter hook in question in twosuccessive rows of perforations for acting with the llower lifter vhook2. change of the lower llifter hooks 2 then takes place in such a mannerthat, .on the lifter hook 2 being released by the yblade 22 the rail 24,will descend and with it the lifter needle I6. This position of theparts isshown in Fig. .1, the ,reading needle I having dropped into aperforation of the pattern card, which has produced the sheddingrequired for the preceding pick and has thereby rocked the lower end ofthe lifter needle I6 out of the path of the rail 24.

During the continued forward motion of the device the ascending Yportionof the cam disc 21 commences to rock the cranked lever 3|, causing therod 32 to be raised. This also causes the lifters I2 and I1 and thereading needles hanging on them to be raised by the engagement of rod 32against lifter I2 and I1. After the completion of this lifting motionthe cam 26 produces a rocking motion of the lever arm 8 out of the p0-sition in Fig. 1 into that of Fig. 2, whereupon The 4 the cam disc 21brings the cranked lever 3| and with it the rod 32, the lifters I2 andI1 along with the reading needles I and 3 into the position for readingthe pattern card in accordance with Fig. 2, so that on the pattern card4 the row of perforations for the shedding to be produced by the lowerblade 22 for the knext second following pick is read off by the readingneedles I. As it is assumed in the described example, that two lifts ofthe harnesses are to be produced in succession by the hook 2, thereading needle I will drop into the suitable perforation of the `papercard 4. The result of this is, that the lifter I2 will move the Apushneedle I5 in such a man- -ner that the lower end of the lifter needle I6will be moved out of the range of motion of the rail 24. When rail 24rises, the lifter needles I6 and the lifter hook 2 will therefore remainstationary and the blade 22 will in its motion enter into engagementwith the lifter hook which thereby will lift the corresponding heddle orharness of the loom.

The advance of the paper cylinder 5 by the tappet 28 takes place at themoment, in which the upper lifter blade 22a is in its backward orretracted position of its reciprocal movement. Before this motionthecranked lever 3| is rocked yby the second swell of the cam disc 21,whereupon the rod.32, the lifters I2 and I1 along with the readingneedles I and 3 are lifted in the manner above described. Simultaneouslywith the forwardfeed of the toothed vwheel 33 by the tappet 28 the camdisc 26 allows the roller 29 to descend, which causes the lever 8 andthe needle grids 6 and 6' to rock. This rocking motion takes place outof the position according to Fig. 2 into that according to Fig. 1. Theneedles I lguided in the holes of these needle grids 6,15 also take partin this rocking motion and, during ythe forward motion of the paper card4 accurately follow with `their lower end that perforation in it, outVof which they were previously lifted. As soon as the card or cylindermotion and consequently the rocking motion has ceased, the cam disc 2.1allows the rod 32 with the lifters I2 and 'I1 and the reading needles Iand 3 to drop again. By this means the third and subsequent followingpick for the lifter hooks of the upper blade after advancing papercylinder 5 is read by the finding needles 3 and the previous pickdescribed in .the paragraph immediately above is read by the needles Iwhile the lower lifter blade is in its backward position.

On the device being reversed, the same procedure is repeated in thereversed sequence.

Accordingly, there has been provided 'a shedding mechanism for readingpicks comprising, in combination, a rst set of reading needlesdisplaceable only in their longitudinal direction, a second set ofreading needles, lifter blades Vassociated with each of said sets ofreading needles and adapted to perform a lost motion at one end of apredetermined Vpath along which each of said lifter blades reciprocates,and means for displacing said second set of reading needles during thelost motion of the lifter blade associated with said second set ofreading needles according to the direction of operation of said sheddingmechanism, whereby upon forward operation of said shedding mechanismsaid second set of reading needles is displaced out ofthe position whensaid second set of reading needles reads a rst pick into the positionfor reading the following pick and upon operation of said sheddingVmechanism in the opposite direction -said second set of reading needlesis displaced out of the position when said second set of reading needlesreads said following pick into the position for reading said first pick.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a shed forming machine; a rotatable cylinder for a perforatedpattern-card, means for intermittently rotating said cylinder, pickreading means comprising reading needles, blade means adapted to performa lost motion at one end of a predetermined path along which said blademeans reciprocates, lifting hook means adapted to be coupled with saidblade means, first movable lifter means for controlling coupling saidhook means with said blade means during said lost motion of said blademeans, actuating means for said first lifter means adapted to be broughtinto and out of working position, respectively, in accordance with theposition of the corresponding reading needles relative to the perforatedpattern-card, said actuating means comprising push needle means engagingsaid rst lifter means, second lifter means mounted for pivotal movement,first arm means interconnecting said push needle means with said secondlifter means, at least one of said reading needles being supported bysaid second lifter means and for lateral movement relative to thelatter, second arm means mounted for pivotal movement and includingmeans to laterally shift at least one of said reading needles along saidsecond lifter means, lever means for pivoting said second lifter means,whereby at least one of said reading needles is longitudinally shifted,and respective cam means engaging said second arm means and said levermeans, whereby actuation of said cam means controls the longitudinal andlateral motions of said reading needles with respect to said patterncardand the position of said first lifter means with respect to said hookmeans.

2. In a shed forming machine; a rotatable cylinder for a perforatedpattern-card, means for intermittently rotating said cylinder, pickreading means comprising reading needles, blade means adapted to performa lost motion at one end of a predetermined path along which said blademeans reciprocates, lifting hook means adapted to be coupled with saidblade means, first movable lifter means for controlling coupling saidhook means with said blade means during said lost motion of said blademeans, actuating means for said first lifter means adapted to be broughtinto and out of working position, respectively, in accordance with theposition of the corresponding reading needles relative to the perforatedpattern-card, said actuating means comprising push needle means engagingsaid first lifter means, second lifter means mounted for pivotalmovement, first arm means interconnecting said push needle means withsaid second lifter means, at least one of said reading needles beingsupported by said second lifter means and for lateral movement relativeto the latter, second arm means mounted for pivotal movement andincluding means to laterally shift at least one of said reading needlesalong said second lifter means, lever means for pivoting said secondlifter means, whereby at least one of said reading needles islongitudinally shifted, and respective cam means engaging said secondarm means, said lever means, and said means for intermittentlydisplacing said cylinder whereby actuation of said cam means controlsthe longitudinal and lateral motions of said reading needles withrespect to said pattern-card, the position of said first lifter meanswith respect to said hook means, and the intermittent displacement ofsaid cylinder.

3. In a shed forming machine; a rotatable cylinder for a perforatedpattern-card, means for intermittently rotating said cylinder, pickreading means comprising two sets of reading needles, blade meansarranged for reciprocal movement and performing a lost motion at one endof a predetermined path of movement, lifting hook means adapted to becoupled with said blade means, first movable lifter means forcontrolling coupling said hook means with one of said blade means duringsaid lost motion of said one blade means, actuating means for said firstlifter means adapted to be brought into and out of working position,respectively, in accordance with the position of the corresponding oneset of reading needles relative to the perforated pattern-card, saidactuating means comprising push needle means engaging said first liftermeans, second lifter means mounted for pivotal movement, first arm meansinterconnecting said push needle means with said second lifter means,said one set of reading needles being supported'by said second liftermeans and for lateral movement relative to the latter, second .arm meansmounted for pivotal movement and including means to laterally shift saidone set of reading needles along said second lifter means, lever meansfor pivoting said second lifter means, whereby said one set of readingneedles is longitudinally shifted, and respective cam means engagingsaid second arm means, said lever means, and said means forintermittently displacing said cylinder whereby actuation of said cammeans controls the longitudinal and lateral motions of said one set ofreading needles with respect to said pattern-card, the position of saidfirst lifter means with respect to said hook means, and the intermittentdisplacement of said cylinder.

4. In a shedding mechanism for reading picks comprising, in combination,a first set of reading needles displaceable only in their longitudinaldirection, a second set of reading needles, lifter blades associatedwith each of said sets of reading needles and adapted to perform a lostmotion at one end of a predetermined path along which each of saidlifter blades reciprocates, and means for displacing said second set ofreading needles during the lost motion of the lifter blade associatedwith said second set of reading needles according to the direction ofoperation of said shedding mechanism, whereby upon forward operation ofsaid shedding mechanism said second set of reading needles is displacedout of the position when said second set of reading needles reads afirst pick into the position for reading the following pick and uponoperation of said shedding mechanism in the opposite direction saidsecond set of reading needles is displaced out of the position when saidsecond set of reading needles reads said following pick into theposition for reading said first pick.

5. In a shedding mechanism for reading picks comprising, in combination,a first set of reading needles displaceable only in their longitudinaldirection, a second set of reading needles, lifter blades associatedwith each of said sets of reading needles and adapted to perform a lostmotion at one end of a predetermined path along which each of saidlifter blades reciprocates, and means for displacing said second set ofreading needles during the lost motion of the lifter blade assoaecomo 7elated with said second set of reading needles according to thedirection of rotation of said shedding mechanism, said means includinggrids displaceable in a direction substantially perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction of motion of said rst set of reading needlesduring the displacement of said second set of reading needles to shiftsaid second set of reading needles laterally in the direction ofoperation of said shedding mechanism, whereby upon. forward operation ofsaid shedding mechanism said second set of reading needles is displacedout of the position when said second set of reading needles reads a rstpick into the position for reading the following pick and upon operationof said shedding mechanism in the opposite direction said second set ofreading needles is displaced out of the position when said second set ofreading needles read said following pick into the position for readingsaid first pick.

6. In a method for reading picks from a pattern-card adapted to be movedand for use in connection with shedding mechanisms having two sets ofreading needles; the steps of moving one set of reading needles alongthe longitudinal axis thereof, displacing the second set of readingneedles along the longitudinal axis thereof, and then shifting thesecond set of reading needles along an axis substantially perpendicularto said longitudinal axis of said other set of reading needles and in adirection corresponding to the direction of motion of said pattern-cardso that when said pattern-card is moved in one direction said second setof reading needles is displaced from. a position in which said secondset of reading needles reads a firstl pick, to another position in whichsaid second set of reading needles reads the following pick, whereasupon movement of said pattern-card in a direction opposite to said onedirection the second set of reading needles is displaced from itsposition in which said second set of reading needles reads a subsequentpick to another position for enabling reading the immediately prior pickby said second set of reading needles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 466,635 Teroth Jan. 5, 1892 648,739 Haenichen et al. May 1.1,900

1,892,323 Staubli Dec. 27, 1932 2,085,459 Wiget June 29, 1937 2,180,777Staubli Nov, 21, 1939 2,305,334 Wakefield Dec. 15, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 218,623 Switzerland Apr. 16, 1942 237,768Switzerland Sept. l, 1945 624,368 Great Britain June 7, 1949 657,967Germany Mar. 18, 1938 662,909 Germany July 25, 1938

